Norfolk State University Athletics

Lindsey Payton enters her first season as associate head coach at Norfolk State for the 2025-26 season.

Payton joins the Spartans after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Coppin State. The Eagles went 19-15 last season and secured an appearance in the WNIT Tournament, defeating Colgate in the first round for the program's second-ever postseason victory.

Before her stint at Coppin State, Payton served as an assistant for one season at Augusta University in Georgia, where the Jaguars posted a 17-12 record and produced two All-Peach Belt Conference selections.
 
Her previous roles include a season at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where the Urban Knights finished 18-11 and reached the NCAA Tournament.
 
Payton coached for two seasons at Siena Heights University in Michigan, leading the Saints to a combined 50-14 record. In her second season, the team earned 27 wins, an NAIA Tournament appearance, and celebrated two All-Americans.
 
Payton began her coaching career in 2016 as a student assistant at Arizona Christian University. That year, the Firestorm earned a spot in the NAIA Top 25 rankings. She earned her bachelors degree from Arizona Christian University in 2017, before going on to graduate with a masters degree from Siena Heights in 2020.